Oil-well device



April 28, 1931. L. B. MacGRr-:GOR

OIL WELL DEVICE Filed Oct. 26, 1928 Patented Apr., 28, 193i UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAURENCE B. MAQGREGOB, 0F LONG- BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MACGBEGOB- STRAN G, INC., OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA OIL-WELL DEVICE Application led October 26, 1928. Serial No. 315,296.

This invention relates to oil well devices, and articularly to a means for effectively cleaning perforated pipe or a screen, in the well.

The invention has for an object the provision of a device which may be placed at the will of the operator in any location within a perforated pipe in a well hole and a fluid pressure exerted by means of said device from the inside of said screening or perforated pipe outwardl to effectively clean the perforations, or t e reverse, that is, to lower the pressure inside of the perforated pipe causing a pressure differential to be set up into the pipe and effectively cleaning the perforations through the fluid movement.

A further object is the provision of a device which is so arranged and constructed that it may be moved to any location within a pipe and released at said location for operation within said pipe.

Other objects include a device which is positive in its action, eicient in its operation, and

generally superior. A further object of the a device is the accomplishment of these two objects without disturbing the normal fluid level in the well, thus eliminating disadvantages resulting from such iiuid level disturbances.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association, and relative arrangementvof parts, members and features, whereby any means so constructed may increase or decrease pressure between two points within the perforated pipe within the well hole without extraneous fluid pressure or extraneous fluid movement, and so that the iiuid movement between said two points caused by said change in pressure differential will result in positive cleaning of perforated pipe. More particularly a serviceable device capable of producing the above result is described as follows:

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1- with the parts in changed relation,

Figure 3 is an enlar ed fragmentary view of certain features of t e invention,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4:-45 of Fig. 3, and,

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fi ure 4.

Re .erring now with particularity to the drawing, the improved invention l1s designated as an entirety by A. At a I have shown a sc reening or perforated pipe, such as ordinarily used in well practice, and through which perforations, shown at 1, of which there may be a plurality, oil or other fluid is adapted to pass. Oftentimes these perforations 1 become clogged with dbris, sand, parain, and the like, and the oil or other fluid will not properly flow through the same in the well hole. When this occurs, it becomes necessary to perform a cleaning operation in order to continue production. Heretofore this has been accomplished with only partial success due to the methods used in swabbing operations which are not definite nor do they produce conclusive results. Cleaning by means of an oil circulation from the surface introduces disadvantages in that material removed from said perforations clogs ortendsto clog the pores in the sand faces in the hole,

due to the high pressure or head of fluid required. The present device is adapted to clean said perforations without any additional pressure or fluid column in the well hole which would tend to place the dbris or material removed in the pores of the sand faces in the hole.

The present invention includes means b and c, both of which are associated with lengths of tubing d. One length of tubing d, would extend to the surface of the well and connect through various stands with the means c. A further length of said tubing d, shown at 2 is adapted to be releasably secured to the means ZJ. The said tubing d may be what is known as pump tubing, and passage therethrough is continuous. Briefly stated, the means b includes a packing device which is adapted to be positioned within the casing and held so positioned at any designated zone by suitable elements adapted to frictionally engage the inner surface. of the perforated casing or screening a and to prevent luid movement downwardly except through perforations or openings in perforated casing or through tubing al. The means c likewise includes a packing device which is adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly upon reciprocal movement of the tubing d and prevents upward luid movement except through tubing d or through the openings in the perforated pipe or screening lying below means c. The result of moving means c downward with the means b lxed as above described will be that oil and other fluid between said means b and c will be compressed and as it is diilicult to compress fluid to any extent such compressed iluid will be forced through the openings in the perforated pipe or screening.

The means c includes an annular member 3 provided with an enlarged head 4, screwthreaded at 5, for engagement with the length 2 of the tubing d. This annular member is likewise formed with a flange 6 and adapted to bear against said flange and upon the annular member is a packing device 7. This packing device may be formed of rubber, or any flexible composition, and the lower face or end of said packing device is inclined downwardly relative to the periphery of the annulus, as shown at 8, so that fluid movement upwardly is prevented. The upper end of the annulus 3 is screw-threaded as shown at 11, for engagement with a further length of the tubing d. i

The means b includes a pair of sleeves 12 and 13 interconnected by ai member 14, with the members 12, 13 and 14 movable relative to the length 2 of the tubing d. The part 14 comprises a coupling formed with a beveled or inclined face 15. The sleeve 13 is enlarged at one end 16 and formed with an annular recess 17. Within said recess is received a packing washer 18 urged into engagement with the lperiphery of the tubing length 2 by means 19. This sleeve is likewise provided adjacent its opposite end with an annular ilange 20. A packing device 21 similar to the packingdevice 7 is carried by this sleeve, and said packing device lies adjacent the flange 20. The working Jface of said packing device 21, which would be the end 22, is inclined upwardly relative to the sleeve, as shown, so that fluid movement downwardly is prevented. Surrounding the sleeve 12 and likewise the tubing length 2 is a collar 24. is a slip holder and extending between said holder 25 and the collar 2'4 are spring arms 26, of which there may be a plurality. One or more slips 27 have the links thereof secured to the slip holder 25, as shown at 28, with the slips adapted to contact with the inclined surface of the slip head 14. The parts 14, 24, 25, 26, 27 constitute an anchor which may be located as desired.` Secured to the lower end of the tubing length 2 is a coupling 29, and

this coupling is ada ted to carry latching means e. The latch niieans includes a bolt 30 which is provided with a head 31 and the coupling 29 is recessed at 32 to receive said head.so that the said head will not extend beyond the periphery of the coupling when the bolt is in one position. The head is urged into the recess 32 through the medium of a coil spring 33. The collar 24 is provided with a key slot 34 which is to say, has an openin 35 slightly greater in diameter than the hea 31 and with a slot 36 of a width sullicient to accommodate the shank of the bolt 30. In one position, the shank of the bolt extends as between the collar 24 and the coupling 29 so that said collar and coupling are held together.

-The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows:

Assume that the perforated casing or screening has become clogged or for any reason it is desired to clean the perforations; the tubing with the means b and c may be lowered within the well to any desired location within the screening. The means b is locked to this tubing through the medium of the means e. When the desired zone has been reached, the means e may be released from the member 24 by turning the tubingr so that the head of the bolt may pass through the opening and be received within the recess 32 of the member 29. The spring arms 26 'grip the inside of the screen to prevent rotation of the member 24. Upon further downward movement of the tubing, oil or other iluid under pressure will be trapped as between the two packing devices and forced outwardly under pressure for the reason that pressure exerted against the packing device 21 will cause the slip-s to move upon the head 14 and engage the perforated casing, thus stopping any downward movement of the packing device 21.

Figure 2 illustrates the nearest approach between the packing devices and Figure 1 illustrates a spaced relation between said packing devices. Oil or other fluid below the packing device 21 may pass upwardly and above said packing device due to the inclined face 37 and the ilexible nature of said packing device. Downward pressure of oil or other fluid against the packing device will, however, force the packing device into tight engagement with the inner surface of the screening due to the fact that the end 22 is inclined downwardly toward the member 13. Likewise any oil or other fluid above the packing device 7 may seep down so as to be received .between the packing devices but when the packing device 7 moves downwardly, the packing device is moved into tight engagement. due to the inclined working face 8 with the inner surface of the screening. When the packing devices approach, oil or other fluid under pressure is prevented from being received between the members 13 and the tubing d through the medium of the packing 18, although oil or other fluid may seep upwardly p-ast the packing. Thedevice as an entirety may be placed within the well casing at any time by means of the tubing and run down to the bottom of the perforated pipe or screening, and means e is unlatched as hereinbefore described, and means b Aset as hereinbefore described.

Upon further downward movement of tubing d and packing device c, the packing de- Y vice b remaining stationary, fluid trapped between said packing devices is forced outwardly through openings 1 in perforated pipe or screenings effectively cleaning same. Tubing d is then raised a further distance and the movement of means c to b repeated. Means b immediately becomes stationary, as hereinbefore stated, and means 0 compressin Huid between means b and c and forcing uld through additional openings 4in perforated pipe or screening. Thus, in running said device to thebottomofthewellandthence reciprocating tubing d in an upward and downward direction cleaning openings in the perforated pipe or screenings a in successive intervals upwardly until said perforated pipe is completely cleaned. The device as an entirety 1s then removed from the well hole and may be run again if desired.

To remove the tubing and device is readily done as the upward movement of tubing d permits the collar 29 to Contact with the lower end sleeve 12 and thus upward movement of part 12 will move head 14 to release slips 27 from frictional engagement with the perforated pipe or screening whereupon the device as an entirety may be lifted to a new zone for cleaning or may be lifted entirely from the well hole.

It is obvious that various modifications and changes and variations may be made in practicing the invention in departure from the particular showing of the drawing, without departing from the true spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In a device adapted to clean perforated casing, screening or the like, a tubing, a packing device releasably carried by said tubing, means for causing frictional engagement between the casing and said packing device to position the packing device in a `given zone of said casing, and a second packing device associated with the tubing adapted to be moved with the tubing to cause approach and separation relative tothe fixed packing devlce.

2. In a well cleaning device, a pair of packing devices, means for positioning said packing devices at a selected zone within said well, and means for causing relative movement between said packing devices to thereby displace liquid trapped between said packing devices.

3. In a well cleaning device adapted to clean perforated casing, screening or the like, a tubing, a packing device releasably carried by said tubing, means for causing frictional engagement between the casing and said packing device to position said packing device in a given zone of said casing, a second packing device associated with said tubing adapted to be moved with said tubing, and means for displacing fluid trapped between said packing devices.

4. In a well cleaning device adapted to be placed within perforated casing, screening or the like, a pump tubing within said screening, a pair of packing dev1ces both of said packing devices being carried by the tubing, one of said packing devices being detachably secured to said tubing, and the other of said packing devices being fixedly secured to said tubing, and means for maintaining the detachable packing device at a selected zone in the casin during relative movement of the other pa ing device.

5. In a well cleaning device adapted to be placed within perforated casing, screening or the like, a pump tubing within said screening, a pair of packing devices both of said packing devices being carried by the tubing, and means for causing relative movement between the packing devices to thereby displace iiuid trapped between said packing devices through openings in said screening.

6. In a well cleaning device adapted to be placed within perforated casing, a tubing withinsaid casing, a packing device carried by said tubing, a second packing device, latch means between said second acking device and the tubing, and means or locking the second packing device at a desired zone within said casing upon operating the latch means, and means for causmg relative movement between the packing devices to thereby displace fluid trapped between said packing devices through openings in said screening.

7 In a well cleaning device adapted to be placed Within perforated casing, screening or the like, packing devices, tubing, means for detachably securing said packing devices to the tubing, means adapted to grip the perforated casing when said first means is released to position said packing devices, and means for relatively moving the packing devices to thereby displace the fluid trapped between 

